My above-cited copending application Ser. No. 065,467 describes a sheet-metal target pigeon whose body part has a generally flat web formed with a central throughgoing hole and having a pair of diametrically opposite ends from each of which extends a respective vane, these vanes being tipped propeller-fashion to each other. The target pigeon also has a cup-shaped witness cap having a substantially circular rim centered on a cap axis and having an axially directed end engageable with the web at the ends thereof and fully exposed at arcuate sides or sections diametrically flanking the web. An end plate extends across and closes this rim at the opposite axial end thereof. Means is provided including interengaging formations on the ends of the web and on the rim for releasably securing the body part and witness cap together with the web and cap axes aligned and the one end of the rim bearing on the web ends thereof. This means frees the cap from the rim when the cap is impacted.
These interengaging formations comprise substantially straight and generally axially projecting sheet-metal tabs that are outwardly tipped and diametrically opposite each other. Their axial heights above the web are (substantially) greater than the thickness of the sheet metal forming the web. In turn the cap is formed at the end of its rim opposite the closing end plate with a pair of outwardly directed diametrically opposite lips each formed with a throughgoing aperture. The sheet-metal tabs of the web engage through these apertures and in fact constitute the sole holding and centering means for the cap on the web.
This sheet-metal target pigeon can be produced at much lower cost than the hitherto target pigeons made entirely of plastic. It has surprisingly been shown to be re-usable for several times, something hitherto impossible with a target pigeon.
The sole difficulty with this sheet-metal target pigeon is that it must be made to extremely close tolerances. The interengaging formations that secure the cap to the web must be prefectly positioned so that the cap is perfectly centered on the rotation axis of the target pigeon. Any eccentric mounting will cause the two parts to separate prematurely, ruining the shot.